The Contra Costa Times newspaper has a regular feature where
readers submit stories about persons who have influenced their
life. In April 2002 Grey Whipple submitted a piece about Jack
Chappell, principal of Washington Elementary School. It was printed
on May 18, 2002. It is reproduced here at the urging of classmate
Mike Johnson. The photo was added as an afterthought.

It was February 1945, the war in
Europe and the Pacific still raged, but was soon to be over. I
was 7 years old and in the second grade. Stepping off the train
in Emeryville with my mom and brother changed my life. The family
had moved to California. My dad met us in our family's 1937 Chevy
, and we drove across the Bay to Burlingame to a new home and
a new school.

The following Monday I was enrolled in a second-grade class
at Washington Elementary School. There were tears the first day
being left alone with a class of strangers, but from then on everything
was a new adventure. At that time, Washington School was a K-8
and that year the school had a new Principal, Jack Chappell.

Jack Chappell was a visionary and his people skills made you
want to do well in his eyes. By the time I graduated from the
8th grade, he was one my best friends. In my mind the man walked
on water and could do no wrong. So what did he do right?

He knew every student's name, first and last. He personally
administered spelling tests to each class several times a year,
and issued a Certificate each year for those students with 100
percent performance. He instituted a policy of showing movies
to bolster text book material. He created projection teams of
8th graders who took time out from their class work to set up
and operate the movie projector for other classes.

Jack Chappell supported the Parent-Teacher Association. My
mother was PTA president for a year. He supported a Dad's Club
that raised money for school equipment. The Dads' Club started
showing Saturday morning movies at the school for 9 cents-usually
a western, a serial, and a cartoon. I often operated the movie
projector. He supported the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts that met
at his school. He supported the paper drives that continued for
a few years after the war. Jack Chappell was found on the playground
after school, usually umpiring a baseball game. In the summer
he would be found at the city park leading children's activities.

As an eighth-grader, I was one of the chosen few to be one
of the coveted movie projector operators, and was also made chairman
of the projection crews. That meant lots of special privileges,
like riding my bike downtown to the post office to mail reels
of film to the movie distributors. I was entrusted with school
keys and the principal's petty cash.

Each school year ended with two main events, a General Assembly
and graduation. At the General Assembly, awards were presented,
including the 100 percent Spelling Certificates. Special letters
of commendation were bestowed upon several eighth graders who
had exhibited leadership and given much of their time for the
greater good of the school. I had thought I was a slam-dunk for
one of those letters.

Jack Chappell strode to the front of the assembly with an armful
of materials to be presented. The last item of business was the
letters of commendation. And when they were all presented, I was
not one of them. I was crushed and tried to mask my disappointment;
classmates around me were surprised, too. But that was not the
end of it. Mr. Chappell reached into his inside coat pocket and
pulled out one more letter, and began speaking about one person
who had set himself apart from all the rest. It was presented
to me. I began Washington school in tears, and ended with very
watery eyes.

After I graduated from Burlingame High School my family moved
south to Salinas and I lost track of Jack Chappell. But that is
not the end of the story. After college and a stint in the Navy,
my wife and I returned to Daly City. Some years later I heard
that there was to be a retirement dinner for retiring Superintendent
of Schools, Jack Chappell. I attended the sold-out event and during
his remarks to the audience, he acknowledged my presence, one
of his first students as Principal at Washington Elementary School.

I am grateful for Jack Chappell and the difference he made
in my life. This world needs more giants like him.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

IN MEMORIAM
JACK ROY CHAPPELL (1913-2003)

CHAPPELL, Jack Roy - Born October 9, 1913 in Elgin, OR, passed
away in San Francisco, CA on September 24, 2003. Husband of 59
years to the late Janice McKenzie Chappell, he leaves behind son
and daughter-in-law Donald and Grace Chappell, of San Francisco;
grandchildren Alexandra Chappell of San Francisco, and Andrew
Chappell of Miami Beach, and sisters Barbara Ross and Marge Fellows.
Descended from the Rineharts, a pioneer family that settled in
eastern Oregon in the 1850s, Jack came to California as a child
in the 1920s, grew up in Mountain View and attended Mountain View
High School, San Jose State and Stanford University. Jack and
his family lived in Burlingame from 1944 to1978 where be was principal
of Washington School and later Superintendent of Schools. Besides
his dedication to good teaching, in which practicality, imagination
and cheerfulness played large parts, Jack designed and mentored
countless after-school programs for Burlingame children, which
included team sports, tutoring, and gymnastics as well as Saturday
morning movie programs. After his retirement in 1974 Jack and
Janice moved to The Villages in San Jose. He most enjoyed traveling,
ballroom dancing and playing golf with friends. He was a consummate
card player, always keeping his eye on the winning hand (usually
his!) while never losing his calm and friendly demeanor. In their
early years he taught his grandchildren the fine points of poker
and Yahtzee and the even finer point of never being a sore loser.
The family will hold a private memorial. NEPTUNE SOCIETY 415-771-0717

Thanks to the Burlingame Historical Society for noting his
passing in the November 2003 issue of THE RECORD. Thanks
also to Fiona Hamilton (principal archivist) and Steve Hamilton
(webmaster) for providing images and Internet links. The text
above is from the SF Chronicle website.